


wild side

by Anonymous



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Boarding School, Kidnapping, M/M, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Violence, starts off fairly light then eases into a darker tone
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:13:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26687212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: At a school where alphas, betas, and omegas coexist, a surge of missing omega cases threatens to disrupt the balance. As tension brews and mistrust grows, the fragile peace among students starts to crumble, and it soon becomes apparent that there’s a traitor in their midst. The prime suspect? An alpha named Park Chanyeol.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16
Collections: Anonymous





	wild side

**Author's Note:**

> side note that might be fun to know beforehand but not necessary lol:  
> 1\. The current setting is Cherryton Academy, a prestigious boarding school and one of the few who accepts students of all dynamics, including alphas, betas, and omegas
> 
> 2\. Everyone has pheromones, which becomes more potent in certain situations. It is possible to make one's scent more subdued, but doing so may be difficult in high-stress situations.

Chanyeol’s playing a new game he just downloaded on his phone, eyebrows furrowed as he gets close to beating the final level, when someone tugs harshly on his arm and makes him lose focus. He stares blankly down at the  _ game over  _ flickering on his screen.

“Are you kidding me, Oh Sehun?” he grumbles and looks up, ready to pummel his best friend to the ground. Sehun’s grim expression makes him pause.

Chanyeol takes off his earbuds and pockets his phone. “What’s wrong?”

“Haven’t you heard?” Sehun says, looking around. The school courtyard is empty save for the two of them, which is strange now that Chanyeol thinks about it. There are usually a lot of students hanging around after classes, especially on such a nice day.

“No, did something happen?”

“Do Kyungsoo is reported missing,” Sehun says. He rubs a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. “That’s the third missing omega this month. Everyone’s freaking out about it and the school still hasn’t said anything.”

Chanyeol frowns. “No way. Didn’t Jongin just sneak out of our dorm to see him last night?”

“Yeah, they went out for their three-month anniversary or something,” Sehun says, and they both grimace, remembering how excited Jongin was, even buying a bouquet of roses for the occasion. “Kyungsoo’s roommate said he never came back.”

“Fuck, I hope they find him soon,” Chanyeol mutters, standing up unsteadily. “Where’s Jongin now?”

“At the principal’s office. They’re asking him some questions.” Sehun checks his watch and purses his lips. “He should probably be done by now.”

“Let’s go.”

Unlike the courtyard, the hallways are filled with students, often in groups of two or more, whispering in low voices. Most of the omegas stick together, giving him and Sehun a wide berth as they pass, the scent of fear and anger palpable in the air. Chanyeol ducks his head, avoiding their gazes. Sometimes, he hates being an alpha. Not because he feels wronged, but because they have every right to be scared.

Sehun pats him gently on the shoulder. “Don’t take it personally. Everyone’s been on edge lately.”

Chanyeol gives the beta a small smile but doesn’t respond, quickening his pace. They arrive just on time as the door to the principal’s office opens and an unfamiliar voice comes out of it—“Let us know if you think of anything else.”

“Of course,” says Jongin, sounding subdued. The door closes behind him as he steps out. For a moment, he looks dazed and stumbles back to lean against the wall, squeezing his eyes shut and mumbling something indistinguishable under his breath.

Chanyeol and Sehun share a look before cautiously approaching. Sehun makes the first contact, brushing his hand against the alpha’s arm. “Hey,” he says softly. “It’s us.”

Jongin looks up, eyes bloodshot and brimming with tears. His lips quirk up in an attempt of a smile before he breaks down, choking back another sob. Sehun immediately steps forward, bringing him into his arms. Without hesitation, Chanyeol joins them, holding them both close. Their familiar scents envelope him—Sehun’s like the faint taste of sea salt and Jongin’s like strong pine wood.

He hears Jongin take a deep, shaky breath before speaking, words rushing out without pause. “I should’ve been there for him. What kind of alpha am I, if I can’t even protect the omega I love?  _ Fuck. _ I should’ve insisted on walking him back to his room.”

Sehun hums, rubbing circles over Jongin’s back in comfort. “No one blames you. Kyungsoo’s known for being more independent, headstrong even. That’s why you liked him so much.”

“He’s right, it’s not your fault,” Chanyeol says firmly.

Jongin lets out a bark of laughter. “It  _ is _ my fault,” he says bitterly. “According to everyone in that fucking office, at least.”

Sehun bristles, throwing a sharp look at the closed office door. He turns back to Jongin. “What did they want from you anyway?”

“Just basic information. How long we’ve been dating, where we went last night, if Kyungsoo has been acting off recently…” Jongin snorts. “You know they’re trying to make it seem like he ran away? Like the other two did, apparently.”

“That doesn’t make sense. Anyone can see that,” Chanyeol points out.

No matter how he looks at it, it has to be a kidnapping case. The first two victims who disappeared were also omegas, a girl who was president of the newspaper club and a prodigal first-year on the boys volleyball team. Both, like Kyungsoo, were active members of the school community, vocal on omega rights, and generally well-liked. There’s clearly a pattern here, and Chanyeol doesn’t understand why the school board would be so wilfully ignorant.

“Has anyone asked for a ransom yet?” Chanyeol asks.

“Not yet. There probably won’t be one,” Jongin says, backing off with a shake of his head. He sighs and rubs his eyes. “Fuck. Look, I really appreciate you guys being here for me, but I think I need to be alone right now. Just, to reflect on things. Make some calls too.”

“You sure you don’t want us there?” Chanyeol asks, even though he already knows the answer. Maybe it’s due to instinct or maybe it’s been deeply ingrained into them by society, but alphas don’t like to cry in front of others, especially not other alphas. It’s seen as a sign of weakness.

As expected, Jongin waves him off. “I’m good, thanks.”

Chanyeol searches Jongin’s gaze just to make sure, and then nods, dragging Sehun with him. 

“I didn’t realize how affected Jongin would be,” Sehun says once out of earshot. He glances at Chanyeol. “How about you? I never really knew Kyungsoo outside of the few times he visited us with Jongin, but you were in the same club as him.”

“I didn’t know him that well either. He seemed nice though, kinda too serious sometimes, but he was a great actor. He’s the lead of our next current play,” Chanyeol says, and then pauses. He stops in his tracks and checks the time on his phone. “Oh, shit.”

“What’s up?”

“I forgot I had a club meeting right now. I gotta go.”

“Wait, dude, you can’t just—”

Despite Sehun’s protests, Chanyeol leaves him behind and hurries back to the courtyard to the theatre. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


To Chanyeol’s relief, the club president still hasn’t arrived yet, though his own late entrance brings the attention of the other drama club members. Heads whip around to look at him and voices quiet down. Chanyeol hunches his shoulders slightly. He finds a spot in the corner by an old stage light and waits for the meeting to start.

The tension is thick in the air. There’s an obvious disparity between the students, with the omegas on one side of the room and the alphas on the other side, while the remaining betas awkwardly disperse amongst them. Minseok, a beta on the stage crew like Chanyeol, waves him hello. He’s with Jongdae though, so Chanyeol smiles back but doesn’t approach. 

To his surprise, Jongdae breaks rank as soon as he sees him, leaving Minseok’s side and cutting through the crowd of bewildered alphas.

“Chanyeol, you heard about Kyungsoo, right?” the omega says, walking up, wringing his hands anxiously. “I still can’t believe he’s missing. I was just at rehearsal with him yesterday.”

Chanyeol blinks down at him, at a loss for words. Kim Jongdae’s in the acting team, close with Kyungsoo and the club president, and while he’s always been friendly, they’re acquaintances at most.

“By the way, how’s Jongin coping?” Jongdae asks quietly. “I don’t know him that well, but he and Kyungsoo seemed pretty serious for a three-month relationship.”

And,  _ oh,  _ now it makes more sense as to why he’s here. Chanyeol lifts a shoulder, unsure how much Jongin would like him to share. He didn’t even know those two knew each other. “I don’t know,” he says instead. “I didn’t really get a chance to talk to him yet.”

“I see. I can’t imagine how he’s feeling right now,” Jongdae murmurs in sympathy. He looks out to the room and bites his bottom lip. “I’ve never seen the drama club segregated like this before. It’s crazy. This isn’t what Kyungsoo would have wanted—”

The doors suddenly slam open, cutting Jongdae off. He doesn’t look surprised and motions at Chanyeol that he’ll continue later. Soon, the faint smell of strawberry wafts into the theatre, followed by the sound of footsteps walking up the stage, calm and steady and powerful. The entire room quietens.

Byun Baekhyun looks out to the crowd, his shirt collar perfectly straightened and tie unwrinkled, not a hair out of place. His very presence is breathtaking, overflowing with an insurmountable amount of confidence only befitting of someone like him—someone who, despite being born an omega, clawed his way to the top of the school hierarchy.

“Sorry for arriving late. There was an emergency meeting in the student council,” Baekhyun says, and Chanyeol feels as if he could listen to him speak all day. He almost misses the amused look Jongdae gives him when he takes a step closer to hear better, but he can’t help it.

As president of both the student council and drama club—no easy feat to accomplish—Baekhyun has a certain charisma and voice that makes people want to lean in, to pay attention to everything that he has to say.

“As you may have all heard, Do Kyungsoo is reported missing. The details surrounding his disappearance is still unclear.” Baekhyun’s voice trembles a little at the mention of Kyungsoo and he pauses. An alpha near Chanyeol shuffles uncomfortably.

Baekhyun takes a deep breath and continues, “As of now, students are asked to remain calm and alert at all times. Travel in groups of two or more, and be back in your rooms before curfew. Roll call will be conducted every night at 9 PM to ensure that everyone’s following instructions. All of this would be reiterated at the school assembly later, but I thought I’d give you a heads up… Any questions?”

“What should we tell our parents? My mom’s worried sick,” an omega on the other side of the room asks.

“The school would be sending out letters home with all the needed information. In the meantime, try not to spread too much panic,” Baekhyun says, and his gaze softens at the omega. “Your mom’s concern is valid, but she shouldn’t have too much to worry about if everyone just follows the rules and sticks together. If you ever need someone, don’t hesitate to contact me either.”

At the omega’s nod, Baekhyun resumes, “Anyone else?”

The same alpha from before coughs and raises his hand.

“Yes, Kris?”

“What’ll happen to the play? That missing omega was the lead actor.”

Baekhyun raises an eyebrow. “ _ That  _ missing omega has a name. And well, I’m sure Kyungsoo would have wanted us to go on with the show, so even though it’s a bit last-minute, we’d just have to find a substitute for his role.”

“Opening show’s in three days,” Kris points out. “Whoever gets the part will have to memorize a shitton of lines and still be able to pull off Lucian's character.”

“Good thing I already have someone in mind,” Baekhyun replies coolly.

Kris visibly preens, shoulders set back in expectation, and Chanyeol vaguely remembers him auditioning for the lead role of Lucian alongside Kyungsoo. Even though he failed to get the part and was put on the stage crew instead, he was always in the corner studying his lines. It was almost like he was preparing for something like this to happen.

For a moment, Baekhyun’s eyes seem to meet Chanyeol’s before flickering away to the person beside him. “Jongdae, you’re a great actor and a quick learner. I know there’s not much time and I’m not going to lie and say it won’t be hard, but if anyone can pull it off, it’s you. I trust you can do it?”

For a moment, Jongdae’s eyebrows twist in bewilderment before he regains his composure and nods, smiling slightly.

“Perfect,” Baekhyun says, smiling back, his gaze taking on a softer edge. Then a loud crash echoes from the back of the theatre and just as quickly, he schools his expressions.

Kris has his fist curled against a shelf, where a cardboard box had fallen off. Its contents of long wigs and elaborate masks spill out onto the floor by his feet. His face is dark and foreboding, a low growl coming from the back of his throat. The acrid scent of something burning, like frayed wires, fills the air. His eyes are pinpointed on Baekhyun.

Chanyeol fights the automatic instinct to bare his own teeth. He clenches his fists, nails digging deep into his skin. His brain screams at him to control himself, but his body doesn’t seem to want to listen, itching for a fight. He barely notices Jongdae whimpering in distress and the few alphas nearby backing off slightly. Kris’ growl grows deeper, louder. The room sparks with tension.

Baekhyun clears his throat into the mic, snapping Chanyeol back to his senses. He forces himself to take a deep breath and feels himself slowly unwind. After a long moment of hesitation, Kris also backs down.

“This club meant a lot to Kyungsoo, and I won’t tolerate anyone ruining his hard work,” Baekhyun says quietly, his words cutting through the room like a knife. “Coexistence and co-prosperity. Those are the precious values that we must portray in our performance. It doesn’t matter if we’re alpha, beta or omega; we’re all part of the same club. We can—no, we  _ have  _ to work together.”

Baekhyun ends his speech and the room breaks into applause. The club advisor, Mr Moon, squeezes Baekhyun’s shoulder as he steps down, and clears his throat, taking charge of getting rehearsal started. The animosity between the alphas and the omegas in the room doesn’t disappear but eases to a low simmer, enough for people to get moving and start splitting off into their respective subgroups—acting team, dance team, and stage crew.

Jongdae doesn’t move from his spot to join the other actors. The omega sighs, looking out at the theatre room. A pause. Another long sigh. Chanyeol sniffs. Jongdae’s faint smell of jasmine is mixed with worry.

“You okay?” Chanyeol asks. He should get going but he’d feel bad if he leaves Jongdae like this. “I’m sorry about what happened earlier. I must have scared you.”

“What?” Jongdae turns back to him with a blink. Then he realizes. “Oh, no, I wasn’t thinking about that.”

“Then what’s wrong?” Chanyeol asks before mentally whacking himself on the head. Why should Jongdae tell him anything? They’re not exactly friends. Fortunately, Jongdae doesn’t seem to mind. He scratches the back of his neck with another sigh.

“It’s just- I don’t know if I can do this. As the main lead, I mean.”

“What do you mean?” Chanyeol asks curiously. “Baekhyun said you could do it.”

Jongdae gives him a strange look. “You really do look up to him, don’t you?”

“O-of course! He’s the reason why I joined the drama club in the first place,” Chanyeol blurts out before flushing pink and waving his hands in defence. “Not that I have a crush on him or anything—even though anyone can see that he’s insanely attractive, not like that matters because I don’t like him _ that  _ way—but it’s just that his acting is...very good.”

Okay, wow. What was that?

Jongdae furrows his eyebrows in question, and Chanyeol cringes. He can’t believe he almost (read: actually) revealed his huge crush to one of Baekhyun’s best friends. “Never mind that. What I mean to say is that you should have more confidence! You’re an amazing actor. I know it! Baekhyun knows it too, otherwise why would he give you the role?”

“Is this your idea of a pep talk?”

“I don’t know. Is it working?”

Jongdae lets out a huff of laughter. “I guess I feel a little better, knowing that you think I’m a great actor because Baekhyun says so.”

“That’s not what I meant—”

“I know what you meant,” Jongdae reassures. He has warm eyes and a catlike curl to his mouth when he smiles, like there’s something he knows that Chanyeol doesn’t. It’s vaguely unsettling yet reassuring at the same time.

“If you like Baekhyun that much, you should just tell him,” Jongdae says.

Chanyeol chokes a little bit.

“Tell him that you like his acting, I mean.”

“Uh.”

“Anyway,” Jongdae continues, peering over Chanyeol’s shoulder, “we should both get going. Thanks for the pep talk! I’ll see you later, Chanyeol.”

Relieved, Chanyeol lets Jongdae leave. Without trying to think too hard about what the  _ hell  _ just happened, he makes his way to the back of the theatre where the rest of the stage crew members are clustered together.

Minseok is talking to Luhan, also another beta on the stage crew, and he grins when he sees Chanyeol. “You’re finally here! We were wondering if we’d have to start rehearsal without you.”

“Where’s Kris?” Chanyeol asks suddenly, counting everyone present. The only alphas on the stage crew are him and Kris, since most other alphas would rather be on the acting or dance team if they could. To say Kris disliked being a stagehand would be an understatement, but he never missed a meeting either.

“He stormed out as soon Baekhyun was done talking,” Minseok says. “He looked pretty pissed.”

“Could you blame him?” Luhan says. “If you think about it, Lucian’s character is supposed to be a strong-willed alpha with a penchant for trouble. Kris matches that perfectly and like, no hate to Jongdae, but he’s an omega and he just seems too...nice.”

“If Kyungsoo could do it, why can’t Jongdae? He’s a better actor than you think,” Minseok counters, nonchalant.

Chanyeol won’t say he’s great at reading people, but he has a better sense of smell than most, which often helps him pick up social cues that he’d be otherwise unaware of. Like right now, he can tell that despite Minseok’s laidback tone, there’s a faint wave of hostility coming from the beta—an icy cold scent that prickles his nose. It gets colder as Luhan plows on, unaware, talking about Kris and Jongdae.

Betas aren’t as short-tempered as alphas, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a snapping point.

Chanyeol decides to cut in, “Forget about Kris. We need to get set up for rehearsal. I can deal with the lights on my own, but we need an extra hand for the sets. Does anyone want to...”

Chanyeol’s not sure if Minseok realizes it but his shoulders slowly unwind as Chanyeol speaks, and he even volunteers to help Luhan with the sets while Kris is gone. By the time the acting and dance team are ready to start the rehearsal, he’s completely calmed down. Minseok squeezes Chanyeol’s shoulder in thanks as he passes. Chanyeol wonders what made him so agitated in the first place.

The rehearsal goes smoothly enough, though Jongdae often stumbles over his lines as he reads the script. He has less than three days to memorize all of it, and Chanyeol can’t imagine the amount of pressure the omega is feeling right now. They have to go overtime before they eventually reach the last scene. Jongdae and Baekhyun, who’s playing the villain, have their final showdown on stage, and then the curtains close.

“Alright, that’s a wrap!” Mr Moon says, clapping from his seat in the audience. “Remember, our last dress rehearsal is in two days. For those on the stage crew, there’s also a final tech run tomorrow... Is there anything else you wanted to add, Baekhyun?”

Baekhyun shakes his head, slightly out of breath from the last fight scene.

“Take a break, you’ve worked hard,” Mr Moon says kindly. He then addresses the rest of the room, “You’re all free to go. Be careful and travel in pairs, especially omegas. We don’t want any more incidents.”

The stage crew stays behind to clean up and after they’re nearly done, Minseok mentions, “By the way, someone still needs to finalize the costume arrangement with Baekhyun.”

They all look at Chanyeol.

“Right,” Chanyeol clears his throat. “Luhan, do you want to—”

“Not really.”

“Then, Minseok, since you suggested it—”

“Chanyeol, you’re the leader of the stage crew,” Minseok says, not without sympathy. “Just go.”

Chanyeol was appointed unofficial leader of the stage crew at the beginning of the term, likely because he was the only alpha before Kris joined. The title is more of a burden than anything else, but a small part of him doesn’t mind it. “Fine, I’ll go.”

The rest of the drama club members have already left the theatre room, save for a few from the dance team doing some cool-down stretches on stage. It won’t hurt to ask them where Baekhyun might have gone.

“I heard him tell Jongdae he was going to the student council room,” one of them tells Chanyeol, a pretty omega who can’t quite meet his eyes. She seems afraid, like most people are when they first meet him, and fidgets in her spot.

“Thanks,” Chanyeol says, trying for a smile.

Her cheeks flush pink and she makes a strange noise as she turns away. Frowning slightly, Chanyeol takes that as his cue to leave.

  
  
  
  
  
  


The door to the student council room is closed, and just as Chanyeol is about to check inside the room to see if anyone’s inside, he hears two low voices. He stops in his tracks, fingers curled around the knob.

“I don’t like what happened to Kyungsoo. In fact, if he came back right now, I’d be fine staying as stagehand.” Chanyeol immediately recognizes the voice as Kris, low and gravelly with a punch of aggression.

“I don’t see what the problem is here then?” Baekhyun drawls.

“I have all of Lucian’s lines memorized already.”

“I know that.”

“And Kim Jongdae can’t act like an alpha to save his fucking life.”

“Get to the point, Kris.”

“Fucking hell! I stayed quiet when Kyungsoo got the lead role over me, an actual alpha. I didn’t say shit when you took me out of the acting team and shoved me into the PR and stage crew instead. But this is the last straw, Baekhyun.” Chanyeol hears movement from behind the door and it sounds like Kris is standing up. “I deserve Lucian’s role and you know it. The only reason why you won’t give it to me is because you have a damn inferiority complex and you can’t stand the thought of having an alpha as the star of the show. All omegas are the same, you know? Crying victim when you’re just as bad as anyone else!”

A long pause follows Kris’ outburst, and Chanyeol distantly wonders if he should just come back another time. His stomach churns at the idea of eavesdropping but his feet won’t move and he stays pressed against the door, listening.

Finally, Baekhyun speaks and his tone is almost mocking: “The spring breeze program in our first year, the Dance of the Flower Children in Act II. The winter coming program in second year, the Battle of Ice in the final act. You should know the significance of those two performances. Right, Kris?”

Chanyeol bites his bottom lip, catching Kris’ scent, that same burning smell that turns noxious as he grows more and more annoyed. He resists the urge to enter the room, even if his instincts scream at him to move. Baekhyun might be an omega, but what he lacks in strong alpha pheromones, he makes up with pure presence and will. He wouldn’t appreciate Chanyeol interfering.

“In the two years you’ve been on the acting team, you fucked up big time during those two live shows. Frankly, I don’t know why you thought you could ever be Lucian—”

It’s like Chanyeol’s body moves on its own. One second he’s at the other side door, and the next, he’s standing in front of Kris, his hand wrapped around the other alpha’s fist, pushing him back before he could land a hit on Baekhyun.

“What are you doing here?” Kris spits out, his face twisted into a scowl.

“I need to talk to Baekhyun about costume arrangements,” Chanyeol says. He doesn’t dare look at the omega and stares at Kris. “So you should get going.”

“Don’t tell me what to do, asshole.”

Chanyeol feels Kris try to wrench his hand away. The other alpha might be taller than him, but Chanyeol hasn’t been working out at the school gym with Sehun and Jongin for nothing. He tightens his grip and Kris snarls. Despite the situation, Chanyeol feels strangely calm, his heart steady and breath even.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Just stop what you’re doing and go.”

Kris opens his mouth to argue but no words come out. He meets Chanyeol’s gaze. Neither of them makes a move. Although Kris’ pheromones slowly recede, the tension still hangs thick in the air and the only sound Chanyeol can hear is the clock ticking at the back of the room. Even Baekhyun is quiet.

Finally, Kris looks away, baring his neck with a small grunt. “Whatever, I’m leaving.”

Chanyeol lets him go.

“If you ever try that again, I’m kicking you out of the club,” Baekhyun drawls at Kris’ retreating back. The alpha makes an angry noise but doesn’t look back and slams the door shut behind him.

The silence is awkward between them. Chanyeol shuffles his feet, waiting for Baekhyun to speak. He’s never been in the student council room before. It’s a lot more spacious than he imagined, with a huge window looking out to the front of the school and walls aligned with awards and trophies. In the middle of the room, there are two teal green couches and a small table. For guests, probably. Chanyeol debates sitting down but ultimately decides against it and remains standing behind one of the couches.

If Baekhyun’s fazed by anything that just happened, he doesn’t let it show. The omega walks to the front of the room and leans against the edge of his desk—organizes a few papers on the side and stops. Looks at Chanyeol and raises an eyebrow.

“Well? You said something about the costume arrangement?”

“Oh, so, um. I have the file on my phone.” At Baekhyun’s unimpressed stare, Chanyeol stammers, “I can, uh, send it to you?”

“You have your phone with you right now?”

“Yeah.”

“Give it to me. I’ll add my number.”

Trying not to panic, Chanyeol fishes around his uniform jacket’s pocket and pulls out his phone. As soon as he unlocks it, Baekhyun plucks the device out of his hand. Their fingers brush together, quick and fleeting, and Chanyeol feels the tip of his ears redden.

“I also wanted to do a rundown of the lighting…”

“Go on,” Baekhyun hums, typing on Chanyeol’s phone.

“During the finale in today’s rehearsal, I tried tightening the spot iris more slowly.”

“Yes, I noticed.”

“Which was easier to work with?” Chanyeol asks, hesitant. “In my opinion, given that it  _ is  _ the last scene...” After a moment of consideration, he nods to himself. “Yeah, I think it’d be nice if we could make the moment linger a bit... Well, I’m not really sure but...I thought I’d ask your opinion before deciding.”

Baekhyun finishes adding his contact information and puts Chanyeol’s phone on his desk. He finally looks up—tilts his head a little. “Why are you so nervous around me?”

Probably because Baekhyun is the most intimidatingly beautiful person he has ever met.

“Uh, well, you’re the club president,” Chanyeol says instead, carefully.

“So? I’m just an omega.” Baekhyun takes a step forward, then another, and Chanyeol moves back until he feels the back of his thighs hit the sofa.

“That doesn’t matter...You’re still the president…”

Baekhyun scoffs, as if he can’t believe what he’s hearing. He stops an inch away from Chanyeol and yanks at his tie. The taller lets himself be pulled down. The sweet smell of strawberry is overwhelming.

“There’s something I’ve noticed,” Baekhyun says. He’s so close that Chanyeol can feel every breath he takes against his ear. “You didn’t use your pheromones to make Kris submit. In fact, in the three years you’ve been in the drama club, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you use it. I don’t even know what you smell like.”

“I never release it.”

Baekhyun blinks, then the corner of his lips curve into a smirk. “That type of arrogance is befitting of an alpha. You’re telling me you’ve never lost control of your emotions? Used your pheromones to win a challenge or compel someone to follow your orders? ”

Chanyeol shakes his head. “Never at full force. Not since middle school.”

“Try it with me then. Make me submit.”

“I- what? I can’t,” Chanyeol splutters.

“Why, because I’m an omega? Don’t underestimate me.”

Baekhyun lets go of his tie and moves back. Before Chanyeol can react, the omega pivots and flexes his body impossibly to deliver a resounding kick to his shoulder that sends him reeling back, crashing onto the couch. Chanyeol rolls over with a groan, and the next second, Baekhyun has his hands wrapped around his throat, pressing down.

“Stop acting so reluctant and show me what you’re hiding.”

Chanyeol can tell Baekhyun doesn’t mean to hurt him—that the force applied around his neck is nothing and he can break out of it easily—but his instincts take over and all he sees is red. How  _ dare  _ this omega challenge him?

He doesn’t have to move a muscle. As soon as Baekhyun inhales his pheromones, his grip goes lax and he lets go of Chanyeol as if scalded. The omega stumbles back and his knees fall to the carpet floor. He’s shaking all over but no matter how much Chanyeol’s inner alpha tries to get him to submit, he won’t look away, eyes widened in fear but never wavering.

Chanyeol can tell he’s taking it too far, can smell the fear potent in the air as the omega’s sweet strawberry scent turns sour. But Baekhyun refuses to budge, and Chanyeol is filled with the strangest, almost overpowering need to see him bare his throat for him. 

He reaches out to grab Baekhyun by the collar and notices just how much smaller the omega is compared to him. It’s easy lifting him up in the air so that his toes barely touch the ground. Baekhyun is docile, but he’s still not baring his throat and  _ fuck,  _ Chanyeol needs to back off before it’s too late.

He hears a whimper, barely audible over the sound of blood rushing to his ears, but it hurts Chanyeol more than when he had been drop kicked in the shoulder. He blinks, horrified, and slowly drops Baekhyun. He takes a deep breath. Exhales. Does it again and again until he feels in control of his body again. He can’t bring himself to look at Baekhyun.

“I...I’m so sorry,” Chanyeol breathes out, hanging his head.

He has a hard time wrapping his mind around what the hell just happened. Even if Baekhyun had provoked him in the first place, it still doesn’t justify his actions. It’s not like him to lose control so easily; he had felt so high-strung, like it’d be the end of the world if Baekhyun hadn’t submitted. Which, now that he thinks about it, is even crazier how the omega had withstood his pheromones. No one ever has. Not other alphas. Not even his own parents.

Baekhyun ignores his apology. His hands tremble when he fixes his collar but his voice is anything but shaky when he says, almost accusingly, “Why do you hide it? With pheromones like that, you’d be unstoppable.”

“I don’t see the point,” Chanyeol says honestly. “There’s no pride to be had in an alpha being strong.”

They say alphas are supposed to protect, but Chanyeol has yet to see it for himself. Without meaning to, he just hurts, hurts and  _ hurts _ until all that’s left is fear.

When Baekhyun doesn’t reply, Chanyeol decides it’s best for him to leave. He’ll just text Baekhyun the costume arrangement tonight and hope for the best. And he can figure out the lighting himself. He keeps his head low as he grabs his phone and heads to the door, but something tugs at the end of his sleeve, stopping him in his tracks.

Baekhyun holds the cuff of his sleeve between his index finger and thumb. There’s no wariness in his eyes like Chanyeol had expected; the omega merely appraises him for a long moment before nodding to himself. His lips quirk into a small smile.

“I have a favour to ask.”

  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Chanyeol looks out to the night sky, worrying. He turns it over in his head, again and again—how easily Baekhyun had brought out the beast inside him, how there had been no warning of it. Despite all the years of Chanyeol learning how to control himself, to repress his instincts and never take it too far, Baekhyun had managed to tear down his efforts with a simple kick to his shoulder.

He still doesn’t know why he reacted so rashly. Maybe it was in the face of a challenge, though other alphas used to challenge him all the time and all he had to do was bare his teeth and growl to make them cower—he never released his pheromones, not to that extent. Then maybe it was the fact that Baekhyun was an omega, or that Chanyeol liked him, or maybe his sweet scent affected him more than he’d like to admit.

Either way, it scares Chanyeol. If he hadn’t come to his senses in time, who knows what he would have done to make Baekhyun submit?

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

A loud, authoritative voice breaks his train of thought. Chanyeol feels his shoulders tense. A security guard? He can’t afford to get caught. An alpha out past curfew and alone is bound to raise a few suspicions, especially with the kidnappings going on. 

He relaxes a moment later when a figure steps out of the shadowy fog and the moonlight illuminates a familiar face.

“Did I scare you?” Jongdae says with a grin. He’s followed by Baekhyun, who has his hands in his pockets and an amused smirk etched onto his features.

“A bit,” Chanyeol admits. He gets up, brushing the dust off the back of his pants. “So, what’s going on?”

Baekhyun never did tell him the details of his favour. All he mentioned was a time and place and a reminder not to tell anyone else. Chanyeol just hopes Sehun doesn’t freak out if he wakes up in the middle of the night and finds his bed empty.

“Baek’s helping me practise my lines before our next rehearsal. Don’t wanna make an embarrassment of myself again,” Jongdae replies, going up the steps and unlocking the door to the theatre. “I dunno about you though. I didn’t even know you were coming.”

“He’s standing guard outside,” Baekhyun explains. He turns back and looks at Chanyeol from beneath his lashes. “You’ll protect us from any potential kidnappers, right? A big, strong alpha like you.”

At Chanyeol’s lack of response, too flustered to say anything, Baekhyun laughs. “I’m kidding. Just warn us if you see anyone coming. Think you can do that?”

“Uh, sure.”

Baekhyun pats his shoulder. “Good. I’ll let you know when we’re done.”

The door to the theatre closes with a resounding click, leaving Chanyeol alone in the darkness once again. He sighs and goes back to sitting on the steps. The fog makes it hard for him to see anything beyond ten metres, but he can’t imagine anyone wandering outside after the recent incidents. There hasn’t been any security guards either, which a part of him is grateful for, while another part of him wonders if the school is even taking the kidnappings seriously.

He doesn’t know how long he sits there, thinking about everything, from the kidnappings to Baekhyun to the play and Kris and so forth. It feels like a long time. At least an hour. Maybe two? He’s not sure how much longer he can take before he falls asleep on the spot. The air is getting cold too, with autumn fast approaching and the fog getting thicker as the minutes tick by. 

There’s a sudden crash from inside of the theatre, followed by a yelp of pain and a string of muttered curses. Chanyeol jumps up and enters the room without a second thought. The lights are off, but with the door open and the moonlight spilling in, he can make out two vague shapes by the stage, one standing up and the other on the floor.

It’s Baekhyun, Chanyeol notices, as he rushes down the steps of the auditorium. Baekhyun’s the one who’s hurt.

“What happened? Are you okay?” Chanyeol says, reaching out. His eyes flicker down. “Your ankle—”

“There’s nothing wrong, dammit. Stop it!” Baekhyun snaps, leaning away. He inhales sharply at the sudden movement and stops, blinking blankly at the ground in an obvious attempt to compose himself.

Chanyeol drops his hand, uncertain.

“He tried to save me,” Jongdae says, hovering nearby. “It was dark, so it was hard to see my feet. I almost fell off the stage but then Baekhyun pulled me out of the way. He fell straight to the floor...”

“Can't risk the new lead of the show getting hurt, now can we?” Baekhyun quips lightly.

“Baekhyun...”

In one swift motion, Baekhyun pulls himself to his feet and grabs the edge of the stage to balance himself. He lets out a heavy breath and smiles at Jongdae. “It doesn’t matter anyway. I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not,” Jongdae says with a frown. “Shit, I’m sorry. It’s my fault, especially since you were helping me in the first place. What are we going to do if you can’t perform because of me...”

“Don’t say that. I told you, I’m fine,” Baekhyun insists. He turns to look at Chanyeol and curls the bottom of his lip. “Good work keeping guard for us. You can go now.”

“You sure? I can carry you back to your dorm, if you’ll let me,” Chanyeol suggests.

Baekhyun raises a single, unimpressed eyebrow. “Getting brave, aren’t you?” 

“Our dorms are on the other side of campus,” adds Jongdae. “Chanyeol, if you get caught near the Omega dorms, you might get suspended or worse, expelled.”

Chanyeol shrugs. “I just won’t get caught.” He stares questioningly at Baekhyun, hoping the stubborn omega would say yes.

Baekhyun ignores him and attempts a step forward. He stumbles over his feet as soon as he lets go of the stage supporting him and starts to tip backwards until Chanyeol presses his hand against his back, steadying him.

"My offer still stands," Chanyeol says softly. He holds Baekhyun’s wrist in a loose grip, just in case he loses his balance again.

Baekhyun pauses. He studies the fingers around his wrist, then shakes him off and leans back against the stage. "Fine," he says. “But only because I’m tired right now. I’ll be all good by tomorrow so don’t you dare think this is your fault.” The last bit is directed at Jongdae, who doesn’t look convinced but nods anyway.

Before Baekhyun can change his mind, Chanyeol crouches down and lets the omega grab onto his shoulders, wrapping his legs around Chanyeol’s waist. The trip to Baekhyun and Jongdae’s dorm feels longer than it should be. Once out of the theatre, they sneak quietly through the fog, careful not to make too much noise. Chanyeol catches Jongdae constantly looking at the shadows around them, like he expects someone to jump out at any moment.

Chanyeol would reassure him, but he’s too busy taking careful, measured breaths as he carries Baekhyun. He’s always found Baekhyun’s strawberry scent much more fragrant compared to others—and the omega never seems to reign it in, never seems to care that his scent is enough to make certain alphas go crazy—and now that he’s basically pressed against Chanyeol back, it’s hard to feign nonchalance.

“Am I too heavy for you?” Baekhyun asks, with a touch of what sounds like guilt.

“Not at all,” Chanyeol replies. And because he has no sense of self-preservation, he twists his neck to the side, looking over his shoulder with a smarmy grin. “Have you never seen my biceps? I don’t work out for nothing.”

He doesn’t expect Baekhyun to snort, then pinch his said biceps with an exaggerated croon. “My, what big arms you have!”

Chanyeol grins, the words spilling out before he can help himself. “All the better to hug you with, my dear.”

Baekhyun takes it in stride, kicking the back of his heels against Chanyeol’s front thighs. "My, what big legs you have!"

"All the better to run with, my dear." Chanyeol jogs a few steps forward to prove the point, and he feels Baekhyun’s huff of laughter against his cheek. The omega doesn’t say anything after that, and Chanyeol assumes they’re done until cold fingers suddenly brush against his ears and pull them down.

“Ouch?” Chanyeol says, looking back, more confused than hurt. Baekhyun’s smile nearly stops him in his tracks but he forces himself to keep moving. This is the first time he’s seen that smile directed at him.

“What big ears you have,” Baekhyun hums into his ear.

Chanyeol swallows. What was the next line again?

“As much as I’d love you to see you guys butcher the rest of Little Red Riding Hood,” Jongdae stops a few steps ahead of them, “I’m gonna have to take Baek from here. Any closer, and you’re just asking to get caught, Chanyeol.”

“Right,” Chanyeol says. He doesn’t move.

“Are you going to put me down or not?” Baekhyun says, sounding amused.

“Right,” Chanyeol says again, promptly crouching down. He feels his face flush in embarrassment. It’s like he can’t speak, let alone function, like a normal human being whenever he’s around Baekhyun, 

Baekhyun snorts and clambers off Chanyeol’s back. He limps forward and Jongdae quickly rushes to steady him by the shoulder. “I’m good,” Baekhyun mutters, but holds onto Jongdae anyway. He turns back to Chanyeol. “Don’t tell anyone about this. I’ll kill you if you do.” A pause, and then, he says, very stiffly, “Thanks for helping out, though.”

“Yeah, uh,” Chanyeol starts. He’s not sure if he wants to unpack all that. “No worries.”

Jongdae looks between them, smiling at the sudden awkwardness. “See you at rehearsal,” he tells Chanyeol before helping Baekhyun to their dorm.

Chanyeol can’t help but stay behind to make sure they enter their building. He doubts anything would happen, but it doesn’t help to stay safe. He sees Jongdae wrap his arm around Baekhyun’s shoulder, whispering something into the other omega’s ear. He wonders what he says, since Baekhyun’s response is to swat Jongdae’s shoulder as the latter cackles into the palm of his hand. The two of them look close.

A weird feeling of guilt stirs in his stomach. He almost forgot. Those two used to be a trio, with Kyungsoo.

He heads back to his dorm with a lot on his mind. He realizes he hasn’t seen Jongin since that incident at the office. He’ll try and talk to him with Sehun tomorrow, properly this time. See if there's any updates on the case.

He’s near his building when he hears the sounds of loud footsteps against gravel ahead of him. He takes two steps back, easing into the shadows. His breath catches in his throat. A security guard? Did they notice he was gone? No, impossible. A security guard would carry a light.

It’s dark, and he’s too far away to be able to make out the person’s face. Chanyeol inhales deeply, trying to get a gauge of the scent with his sensitive nose. It smells like an alpha...a male alpha. He can’t believe he didn’t notice it until now. The scent is much more potent than usual—a lot more angry, impatient. The unknown alpha paces back and forth in front of Chanyeol’s dorm before finally stopping—sighing loudly and stomping up the steps and into the building.

Chanyeol frowns, finally recognizing the smell as it lingers in the air. It’s not as acrid as it was earlier today, but it still leaves a bad taste in his mouth. It’s familiar. Burning. Like frayed wires.

What was Kris Wu doing out past curfew?

**Author's Note:**

> I have huge plans for this fic (like, _huge_ ) but i also kinda wanted to post the first chapter to like, get a gauge of the overall reception..? so pls let me know any of your thoughts/opinions/if i should continue/anything! i'll be happy to hear back :)


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